Tag Archives: shoe party

fibi & clo is the only direct sales company that sales shoes and hosts shoes parties! The direct sales AND fashion industry is starting to take notice of the unprecedented business approaches and innovations in design that fibi & clo is creating.

Casual Fridays don’t have to be so casual, especially if you jazz it up with statement-making shoes that are comfortable, yet fashionable. I’m a big believer in jeans, and sometimes all you need is a little something to dress them up. For any of you having a shoe party this weekend, please send us your pics! In the meantime, here’s some casual Friday in flats inspiration.

fibi & clo has been getting a lot of attention from TV, magazines and the blogosphere. As the weather turns warm, everybody’s thoughts naturally turn to what they’re going to wear. We are extremely grateful to the curators, editors and trendsetters who have given us their “Spring endorsement.” When you write about us we share your blog with our over 12K followers on our Facebook page, as well as through our newsletter that goes out to more than 30K subscribers. Thank you so much for helping us spread the word about our brand and the fact that we are the only company to offer exciting shoe parties! We are extremely grateful.

fibi & clo CEO, Michael Leen, was recently invited to appear on morning shows in Arizona and Nevada. Michael explains the ground floor opportunity fibi & clo offers, as well as shares stories about the company’s very first shoe party.

Let’s face it ladies, sometimes the workplace feels like it’s stacked against us. It’s rare to see women in upper management positions, and when we also carry titles like wife, mom, daughter, best friend etc., it can sometimes feel downright tiring at just the thought of succeeding at work. So I made it my personal mission to give some thought to how to make it beautifully effortless, and after sharing it with many female friends who I admire, I’m ready to share it with you.

In the last decade, I have been very fortunate in my advertising career, and with building my business. I owe these blessings to the extremely successful businesswomen and men, my mentors along the way, who have shared insights and tips on how to be a successful entrepreneur. What I learned was that in addition to learning how to build a business from scratch, I also formed life lessons. They may seem simple, but everything in life is actually simple when you break it down in steps. The challenge is applying these lessons on a weekly and daily basis. But I truly believe that with the right tools and knowledge, you can do anything.

7 STEPS FOR FEMALES ON THE RISE

AnaLiza Alba Leen is an Advertising Creative Director at Arnold Worldwide. She has worked on accounts such as Johnson & Johnson, L’Oreal, Nexxus Salon Hair Care and Hershey’s. She has also successfully launched a direct sales company that specializes in shoes and accessories. Her company, fibi & clo, has grown to over 1000 agents nationwide. fibi & clo has successfully sold and distributed over 60,000 sandals, and continues to grow every day. For more information, please visit fibiandclo.com.

1. START NOW

Planning and discussing are integral to any successful enterprise, but all too often I have seen this preliminary stage paralyze great business ideas because people get trapped in the quicksand of planning. My husband and I had no idea what fibi & clo would become. We also had absolutely no experience in direct sales. What we did know is that we have a dream and an amazing product. So what we did was make 100 sandals and throw a party. From idea to execution took 30 days. That first party sold every single pair we had, and we knew we had something special. This first success empowered us to continue along the entrepreneurial path. The best way to know if an idea is good is by sharing it and getting honest feedback from those you trust. So do sufficient homework, and don’t be scared to hold focus groups or to try and sell a preliminary product. It’s the fastest way to find out if your idea has legs or not.

2. DREAM BIG. START SMALL.

I have been drawn to creative fields my whole life, and I have always dreamed of having my own runway show, or owning a large creative business with hundreds of employees. But even Ralph Lauren had to start somewhere. In advertising, I started with an internship at a small agency in Austin and eventually one in New York City, and for fibi & clo I designed one shoe and had a small shoe party. Small steps lead to big successes. Never lose sight of your dreams, but figure out a small, reasonable way to start now.

3. CREATE A TO-DO LIST

My To-DO lists are like a map. I would never drive from NYC to Austin without a GPS or road map, and I wouldn’t attempt a career or build a business without a TO-DO list. I actually have 3. A daily, a yearly and a life TO-DO list. These lists constantly change as well. Each month, I take a look at my yearly and life lists and I evaluate my progress toward those goals. If I see one is no longer relevant, I take it off, and if I see other opportunities, I put them on. This is the same practice I do at the end of each day with my daily list. And don’t worry ladies, you can make your daily TO-DO lists in your head if you want. I do all the time.

Lists give structure, and without structure you go in circles.

4. GIVE YOURSELF DEADLINES

When I create a goal with fibi & clo, I give myself a finish date. And I tell myself if I don’t get it done by that date, then it’s effectively me telling myself I don’t want it bad enough.

Be realistic with your deadlines for your goals, but treat them as sacred. If you approach a deadline and the work is nowhere near complete. Either you hustle or you evaluate whether your goals still carry the same meaning for you. You won’t always meet every deadline, but if you keep them sacred, you will usually get the job done.

I remember when we were launching our e-commerce site for fibi & clo, we were running way behind schedule. I wanted the site to be perfect, but in order to keep my word to my Agents, and to prove to myself I could deliver, I had to drop some fancy features from the site. I was able to launch the site as promised, and the reception was well received. Those fancy features did nothing for the effectiveness of the site, and we added them on later. Don’t let a deadline slip you by because of excuses or delays. Find a way to deliver.

5. NETWORK. NETWORK. NETWORK.

For my advertising job, I recently attended the 3% Conference in San Francisco (a conference aimed to educate and up the female/male ratio for Creative Directors in advertising). It’s no secret that advertising is a boys club. Out of all the Creative Directors in the world, only 3% of those positions are held by women. Shocking, right?

The 3% Conference, and other networking events that may be held in a smaller scale in your community, are wonderful ways to meet new people and get inspiration from their accomplishments. I love hanging out with brilliant women because I really believe that when you surround yourself with ambitious people who compel you to strive farther and higher, you’ll succeed too. It’s not a competition. It’s about learning, growing and empowering each other. Networking events are a great opportunity to do this.

You also never know if that new person you met could be the in to a new job, or a future customer for your product and/or service. Or vice versa, you might meet someone who will be your next brilliant intern. Either way, go to as many events as you can.

6. STAY HEALTHY

This may be the most important step, and I don’t just mean physical health. Stay healthy also means emotionally and spiritually as well. Pursuing your dreams is not easy, and can feel downright scary or intimidating. Be sure to take time out of your day to talk with inspiring people, or to read an inspiring book. Take time to step back and reflect on why you’re doing what you’re doing. People sometimes forget what their initial dream was to begin with. Take time to continually remember your dream, and this will keep your inner fire lit.

Also be sure to work out 3-5 times a week. What’s the point of achieving success if you are too fatigued or unhealthy to enjoy it. I also find that I can work through problems, or find new inspiration, when I’m going after it at the gym. Health is everything, and you want to be well to do well.

7. GIVE THANKS

Sometimes it’s easy to be negative or get down on yourself or others, but I’ve found that being appreciative always makes you feel good. Any success you achieve is not only the result of your hard work, it is also due to any support network you have, the customers who are buying your products, the employees that put in the long hours for you, or the coworkers that believe in you and help you meet deadlines. Be sure to give A LOT of thanks along the way and let people know you appreciate and value them.

Over the past two years it has taken to build fibi & clo, we always make time to tell our Fashion Agents and customers how much we appreciate their support. We have managed to get through many lows because our customers and Fashion Agents have stuck with us. We always find ways to let them know how much we appreciate them, and that’s a lot to be thankful for.

Has anyone noticed what Kate Middleton has been wearing? The Duchess of Cambridge has been spotted wearing Zara clothes and accessories over the past couple of weeks. On her way to the Prince’s Trust Concert she wore a gorgeous but affordable black and white lace dress from Zara (look at last week’s post about black and white being on trend). Of course the dress sold out just hours after Kate was spotted in it.

There are so many trends out there and following them all can be expensive. But following trends can also give you ideas on how to work with what’s already in your closet and help you refresh your look. Here’s one trend worth trying.

Black and White is trending for 2014. These two simple colors can come off as plain and boring, but if you put them together the right way you can create a super chic look.

There runway looks can easily be recreated with white jeans a simple black top or vice versa. Wearing a dressier top can elevate the outfit without having to look like you’re trying too hard.

You could totally pull off this trend with our Sun Cascade or Smoke Cascade. Both of these sandals will pull together any black and white outfit with a touch of sparkle!

The 2014 collection has been released, and you can see them for yourself by contacting a Fashion Agent near you. fibi & clo is not like a regular designer shoe company. We do not sell our shoes through traditional retail, such as through Bloomingdales or Nordstroms. We showcase our sandals through a nationwide network of talented independent Fashion Agents. The best way to view our sandals is by hosting your own shoe party!

There is nothing more fun than a shoe party. Gather your friends for drinks, shoes and fun. And earn free shoes by doing it! To find a Fashion Agent near you, please email us at info@fibiandclo.com

The 2014 collection was inspired by our designer’s most recent trip to Morocco.

“Every year I find great joy in seeking out special places that not only inspire me, but teach me about the culture via the experience. This year’s journey to Morocco took me through rows of Souks as far as the eye could see, vintage pieces rich in history, and a world of color to forever delight your eyes. I hope you love the 2014 line as much as I loved the path that led me to creating it.”

We look forward to sharing our company, and the 2014 collection with you.

You’ll often find fashion finds and tips on this blog, but for today I want to go a little deeper and explore another topic that’s close to my heart: eating! Yes, I’m talking about food!

What you eat has a profound impact on how you feel, look and carry yourself. And because I’m not a proponent of starving yourself, I like to seek out recipes that taste good and make you feel good too. You can look great and feel great at any size when you eat healthy. There’s a glow and sparkle in your eye, and a bounce in your step, when you eat tasty, yet nutritious foods.

An easy way to start controlling the types of foods you eat is through cookbooks. Without instructions, I can’t do anything in the kitchen. So I turned to my favorite chef, Thomas Keller’s book, Ad Hoc and got to work. While some options in this cookbook border on the decadent, there are a lot of healthy and quick options that can satisfy any taste bud. So get inspired, grab a cook book, and get your year started on the right foot.